📍Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
On the final port day of our cruise we arrived in the heart of the Caribbean, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands via Norwegian Viva, and we were given the all-clear to go ashore shortly after 7:00 a.m. This was our first time visiting both this cruise port and The US Virgin Islands.
We have always heard great things about the famous US Virgin Islands of St. John, St. Thomas, and St. Croix. These islands have been on our bucket list for decades, and after visiting we can easily see why so many have fallen in love with the region’s history, cuisine, landscape, and laidback vibe.
A few highlights from our time spent on St. Thomas in The US Virgin Islands:
Charlotte Amalie Cruise Port – Havensight
When it comes to cruising the US Virgin Islands, there are two cruise ship docks in the capital city of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, and our ship, Norwegian Viva, was docked in St. Thomas’ main cruise port, The West Indian Company Dock or “Havensight Cruise Pier.” This cruise port is a great one to explore on your own with shopping, dining, and attractions all within walking distance.
Havensight is conveniently located near duty-free shopping, dining, and attractions within the downtown-area. The closest of these being the family-friendly Havensight Mall, a clean, safe and beautifully maintained open-air shopping mall with live music & entertainment, flowing fountains, and boutique after boutique of clothing, jewelry, food and drink, restrooms, and so much more with over 40 venues. There is also a grocery store as well!
The streets and sidewalks of Havensight were clean, safe, and walkable.
We purchased several souvenirs from a number of stores in Havensight Mall, and every one of the locals were friendly, helpful and welcoming. We were looking for the perfect shirt to bring home for a friend, and we found it here! This was by far one of our favorite cruise port shopping areas of all the ports we visited. It didn’t feel overly commercialized, and it wasn’t the same old shops that are at every other port (yes, there are a few). There were three ships docked during our visit in the Spring, and it never felt overly crowded.
Just down the road you’ll also find the Port of Sale Mall, a more adult-centered shopping area featuring alcohol, tobacco and gaming. It’s located just across the street from the entrance to Paradise Point.
Also located next door to Paradise Point, the Pirates Treasure Museum is where you can get up close and personal with artifacts (we’ve heard they allow kiddos to be hands-on) that tell the story or pirates in the Virgin Islands. Although we did not visit the Museum on this trip, we spoke to fellow cruisers who did and they said it was worth the $20.00 USD per person admission price, so we’re putting that on our list for our next visit.
Skyride to Paradise Point
When we arrived back in Charlotte Amalie, we still had a few hours before all aboard. We walked on our own from port to the Paradise Point ticket booth and rode the short & scenic aerial skyride 700 feet up to the top of Paradise Point. At the top, you will find the best aerial views from land in St Thomas, and in all of The US Virgin Islands.
It took us about five minutes to ride the skyride up with about eight total people in our open-air tram. We did a little souvenir shopping, and we had a delicious lunch at Taste, the casual full-service open-air restaurant & bar where we sampled a local beer, US Virgin Islands Summer Ale, and their “world famous” Bailey’s Bushwacker cocktail. There is also a formal sit-down restaurant on Paradise Point located upstairs called “Prime,” but we opted for the more casual option.
Although Paradise Point is accessible by booking a cruise line excursion, you will pay more for this attraction when booking through a third party like Norwegian Cruise Line. With this in mind, we decided to make the short walk from port to the ticket office and ride the skyride on our own.
There were plenty of tables available for seating. The service was fast, friendly, and we had a great time watching ships come and go from port and sea planes take off and land nearby. The panoramic views of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas and the surrounding islands were stunning. At one point, a kind staff member pointed out to us that we could see Puerto Rico from certain spots. This was the perfect spot to enjoy the rest of our afternoon in The US Virgin Islands.
As of the time of his post, the cost for a ride on the skyride ranges from $28.96 to $29.95 USD per person, and we did this on our own, not with an excursion. We believe the prices may change based on the number of ships in port, but we can’t be certain.
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Paradise Point is located just a short walk from the cruise port, so it’s a must-do when visiting St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Catamaran & Snorkel
From port in Charolette Amolie, St. Thomas, we made the scenic twenty minute drive to Compass Point Marina in an open air bus where we met our fantastic CHUKKA crew. We set sail from beautiful Compass Point Marina onboard our sailing catamaran, The Dancing Dolphin, along the eastern shores of St. Thomas across the Pillsbury Sound to St. John.
The weather was absolutely perfect. We were seated front row for all the action on the catamaran’s trampoline nets, our preferred spot when onboard, and sailing the turquoise waters with the salty ocean air in our hair was the perfect way to see the US Virgin Islands.
When we arrived at the western edge of St. John, Honeymoon Beach, a popular spot and part of The US Virgin Islands National Park, the weather was overcast. We watched excitedly as our CHUKKA crew secured our catamaran to a mooring buoy followed by our safety briefing before heading into the water to snorkel.
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Everyone onboard The Dancing Dolphin had several options when it came to enjoying our time at Honeymoon Beach. We could ride the dingy into the sandy strip of Honeymoon beach to sunbath, explore on our own, or begin snorkeling from the shore (where they said the most activity would be), we could use the dive ladder or jump right in off the “express elevator” on the side deck – Jared of course went all in on the jump!
The water was calm and crystal clear. There were rocky areas filled with colorful fish who didn’t seem to mind us visiting, but the best part of our snorkling adventure was spotting all of the green and hawksbill sea turtles.
We had a little over one hour to snorkel or enjoy the beach area, and we took advantage of every second. Throughout this Norwegian cruise, we spent a lot of time sightseeing by both bus and by boat but now we wanted to get up close and personal with the premier snorkeling that the U.S. Virgin Islands are famous for.
Once we were all back onboard our catamaran, the sails were up and the sun was shining as we sailed our way back across Pillsbury Sound to Compass Point Marina in St. Thomas. The crew of The Dancing Dolphin served complimentary rum punch for all. Snorkeling can be tiring, so it was fantastic to sip a cocktail & enjoy the open waters as we cruised back to Compass Marina.
We had the most magical day exploring the U.S. Virgin Islands with our Norwegian Cruise Free at Sea catamaran excursion. Sailing the turquoise waters from St. Thomas to St. John and snorkling Honeymoon Beach was the perfect port day on our final stop onboard Norwegian Viva.
Blackbeard’s Castle
If you’re not looking to ride the skyride to the top of Paradise Point, you may want to consider visiting Blackbeard’s Castle, another hilltop overlook featuring a historic watchtower built in the 1600’s.
Located in the heart of Charlotte Amalie, this national historic landmark is rich in both culture and views. Here, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the Island’s Danish-history, pirate lore, explore the beautifully-landscaped grounds, and enjoy a rum tasting because pirates love their rum! Try the “Hair of the Dog” cocktail.
Travel Tip: Visitors arriving on foot will have to climb 99 steps to reach the castle.
There is also Jolly Roger’s open-air Restaurant & Pirate Bar along with a beautiful pool at the base of the castle. Between the stonework, the lush landscape, and the harbor views, Blackbeard’s Castle is definitely worth a visit. Currently, the property is being renovated into a boutique hotel, and that is definitely something we’d like to see in the future! Although we did not eat here, we have heard their onion rings are a must-eat.
Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville
Although we didn’t make it here on this visit due to time constraints, it was on our list. Honestly, Margaritaville is always on our list! It’s the first thing we search for when visiting a new destination.
Just a short 30 minute drive from Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas to the Margaritaville Vacation Club by Wyndham Resort you will find the Margaritaville Restaurant and 5 o’clock Somewhere Bar. The Resort offers day passes for visitors. This would be a great way to spend a full day off the beaten path & relaxing while in port or a place to stay while visiting St. Thomas.
Thank you Norwegian Cruise Line for a lovely port day in The US Virgin Islands. We had an absolutely amazing first visit to USVI and we can’t wait to return!
There is so much to see and do throughout The US Virgin Islands, that we’ve already started making our list for our next visit. Since we spent the majority of our time in St. Thomas with this visit, we would love to fly into St. Thomas (our home airport has nonstop flights!), take the ferry to The Cruz Bay Visitor’s Center in St. John & hike several of the well-known trails like Lind Point Trail or the Caneel Hill Trail within Virgin Islands National Park followed by an overnight stay in the park. Jared’s parent’s camped here on their honeymoon, so it’s always been something we’ve wanted to do together.
Let us know how you’d spend the day in The US Virgin Islands in the comments below & safe travels ♡
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